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Topic: The Adventure Begins (Read 3869 times)

Went down to New Home, Texas to remove the bees from a barn wall. The outside of the wall is curogated metal on a frame of 2x4s. The inside is a tongue and groove board starting at the floor going up about six feet.

The bees were using the opening at the top for an entrance. I started cutting the boards one by one until I got down to the hive. Had to cut seven to get to top of hive. Then another four to reach the bottom of the hive.

There was a loose board lying at an angle between the two wall studs. They had built the combs on that angled board and then sort of wraped around towards the outside wall.

It was a mess, for me anyway. I did the best I could do slowly cutting the comb loose. Some times some of it broke and dropped, but managed to sit most of the big stuff into a hive body. I was looking for brood. There might have been some and I just wasn't sure what I was looking at.

Now mind you, I wasn't even using a smoker or spraying with sugar water. I couldn't believe how well behaved those girls were. I didn't get one sting. Did have bee suit gloves and veil on. The only stingging I know of was when I caught one of the girls between the glove and the comb.

Finally I started taking the larger pieces of comb and cutting out to fit into a frame tying it with string. Anything that was capped I made sure to get it in a frame. Except some that I'm sure was honey. That stuff is bulky and heavy ain't it. I let them rob most of it out. As I was brushing them off the combs and foragers were coming in there got to be a bunch of bees. I finally sucked up a buch of them with the bee-vac.

I finally got one deep sort of put together and set the vac ontop of it and let the bees work themselves down into the box. After most were out I sat the vac on the floor next to the new hive and the rest worked their way over to it. A lot of foragers were still coming in wondering what was going on, but eventually found their way to the hive.

I finally got the hive ready for transport but left the front door open and did the waiting game as more workers came in and found their way to their new home. I think, but not sure, that I saw the queen. And as every body made their way to the new home and was staying, I figured I must have got her.

Closed up the front and brought the girls home. I feel like I did a hard days work. Time will tell how badly I messed this one up for a first time beekeeper/catcher.

Battery went dead on the camera and I will post picture to this later.

I'm tired.

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:rainbowflower: Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak. :rainbowflower:

Good Job The thing to do if you haven't already is feed them.The swarm I saved in mid January did good I put a pollen patty in the hive and a quail watering bottle 1 gallon size this way they can feed down to 32 degrees they took a gallon of sugar water every other day for a week drew out the comb and the queen was laying eggs Last week I took a medium off a hive put the bees and honey othat swarm and there going like gang busters I took some wild bees out of a big bird house last summer did it the way you did and it workred well good luck kirk-o

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"It's not about Honey it's not about Money It's about SURVIVAL" Charles Martin Simmon

Jerry, it will be easy to make up that hive of bee's feeder, not boiling water and no sugar , JUST POP A TOP them are what we call good-ole boy bee's and jerry if they ever swarm and leave you they are heading for the mountains (COORS)

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THAT's ME TO THE LEFT JUST 5 YEARS FROM NOW!!!!!!!!

Never be afraid to try something new. Amateurs built the ark, Professionals built the Titanic